Portions of Blackfoot and Clark Fork Rivers Closed Due to Chemical Spill

Waterbody Restrictions, Closures & Reopenings
- Region 2

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

State officials closed the Blackfoot River from Johnsrud Fishing Access Site to Kona Bridge on the Clark Fork River while crews work to contain and monitor the industrial soap making chemicals that spilled into the river this morning when a semi wrecked just east of Bonner.

FWP Regional Fisheries Manager, Pat Saffel, says that at this point it is uncertain how the chemicals might impact the river, including fish and people that come in contact with the water. FWP is working closely with county health officers and other incident crews and will lift or extend closures as necessary for public safety.

Turah FAS on the Clark Fork, upstream from the Bonner, is also closed, as there is no public takeout below this site before the Clark Fork closure begins. Johnsrud remains open as a river take-out for those using upstream sections of the Blackfoot.

FWP will continue to provide public access and river impact updates as the situation unfolds.